1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the field of computers and similar technologies, and in particular to software utilized in this field. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to communicating policy guidance.
2. Description of the Related Art
Today's regulatory environment continues to increase in complexity as a result of government legislation and industry rules that often drive, augment or complement an organization's internal policies. This situation can result in an overabundance of policies that are often contradictory not just to each other, but to overriding laws and regulations. Not only is this policy environment difficult to administer, but it is equally challenging for individuals within the organization to understand what constitutes acceptable versus unacceptable behavior for any given policy.
While an organization's rules and policies generally make sense when viewed in the context of the events that resulted in their creation, they can also be vague, ambiguous, confusing, or even worse, highly subject to interpretation by the individuals they are intended to guide. Furthermore, while an individual may know that a policy exists and that they need to abide by it, they may not know how they will be measured for compliance or worse yet, the degree to which they will be penalized for not abiding by the policy. Furthermore, if they don't understand the policy, or understand what is expected of them, they don't know where to find the answer.
Currently, organizational policies are generally communicated or reviewed using complex written documents that can be subjectively interpreted in many ways and fail to provide appropriate guidance. This approach can result in the creation of an administrative environment that often requires continuous oversight and ongoing management. In view of the foregoing, there is a need for easily and clearly communicating the guidelines of a given policy to the individuals the policy affects while simultaneously defining their expected and acceptable behavior and the corresponding consequences for noncompliance.